As tradition would have it, the Marshall County Marshals expect to make a run to the First Region title game each year with 15 championships in program history. For the fourth straight year, the Marshals met McCracken County in the title game, the last two going to the Mustangs.
On paper, this is the Mustangs year, after returning the majority of their 2021 championship team and beating the Marshals 4-0 earlier this season. But it’s the regional championship game between Marshall County and McCracken County and both teams always rise to the occasion.
The game was scoreless at halftime and at the 23:57 mark in the second half, the Mustangs scored their first goal by Johnny Stevens off a corner kick. Josh Kuntz, Region 1 Player of the Year, scored the second with just over 16 minutes to go to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.
In the final minutes, the pace quickened for the Marshals, fouls were called and yellow cards handed out but at the final horn, the Mustangs raised the trophy and earned their third straight trip to the state tournament.
The Marshals out-shot the Mustangs 11-6 and both teams had five shots on goal. The Marshals were called for 10 fouls and eight called on the Mustangs. Steven Claborn had three saves and Grayson Parish had five for the Mustangs.
The Marshals end their season with a record of 15-5.
Marshals selected to the All-Region Team:
First Team: Jericho Evans, Logan Davis
Second Team: Logan Parker, Steven Claborn, Zander Maxlow
Honorable Mention: Landon Kinder
